Wandering
by ILoveMe297
Summary: I sighed heavily as I lay on my back in the tall grass, staring up at the gray sky. The river system was totally flooded from the rains; the fish had been swept out miles from here. Belt lay on my stomach, his chin resting on my ribs as he watched me. Images of steak and fish and my mom's delicious corn sauce on eggs flickered through my mind.
1. Chapter 1

1

**My **stomach growled painfully as I lay inside the cave. I sighed and watched the ceiling for spiders or bats, anything to keep my mind off of my growing hunger. I put my hands behind my head and closed my eyes, listening to the rain beating against the cave walls. We had been cooped up in here for 3 days by the rain, which meant that we couldn't hunt. I looked over at the Croods as they slept in their typical pile, Eep being on her separate ledge. We had decided to stay in here until the storm passed, no animals would be out anyway. I closed my eyes and leaned my head into my arms; a makeshift pillow.

When I was little, and my parents were still alive, we wove together pieces of straw to make pillows and mattresses. We'd also hunt whenever we could, even in the rain. The Croods motto of staying inside during bad weather was very different, I was starving. I was used to foraging for berries or at least picking off a bird or something to help ease it, but I hadn't eaten at all for three days now. Belt was also starting to get annoyed, constantly woken up by the awful gnawing in my stomach. He was able to eat the small bugs in the cave at least.

"What is that?" Eep's voice suddenly said, her finger jabbing me hard in the stomach. I jumped up and managed to keep my shout contained.

"What is what?" I asked, putting Belt up on my shoulder. Eep scooted forward and pointed towards my stomach, I looked down, then back up at her.

"That weird noise, it sounds like a bear almost." She said, looking at me with curious eyes. It suddenly clicked in my mind what she was talking about.

"Oh, you mean the noises my stomach is making? I'm hungry." I said and she had this look on her face that meant she had no idea what I was talking about. I sighed, looking up at Belt, who rolled his eyes at me.

"What is hungry?" She said, sitting down in front of me. I leaned against the wall and groaned, rubbing my eyes. I didn't have the energy to explain every detail to her.

"Ok, so you know that feeling you get right here when you haven't eaten in a while?" I asked, putting my hand over my stomach to show her. She paused for a moment and then nodded. "And it really hurts after a while? That's what being hungry is."

"But why does that noise happen?" She said, reaching out to poke me again. I grabbed her hand.

"I don't know." I said quickly. "I'm still trying to figure that out."

"Oh." She said and looked back at her family passed out in the pile. "What if we went out and tried to hunt?"

"I would love that very much." I said and jumped up. I tried to push the massive rock out of the way of the entrance but it was too heavy for me. Eep then walked over, pushing it out of the way with ease. I ran outside and dropped to my knees, thanking god that I was outside again. I hated that stupid cave, being trapped in the dark for days, starving to death on top of it. It was raining still but I had hunted before in the rain. Eep pushed the rock back into place and then ran out beside me, jumping to try and hit the raindrops before they landed. I scanned the area, trying to find something that was edible. The mountains ahead were covered in dark gray clouds, streaks of lightning zinging past and the thunder vibrating the earth we stood on. The large raindrops beat the plants scattered around the cave, the smell of rain was very calming to me. Belt poked me in the stomach, snapping me out of my trance and reminding me once again that I hadn't eaten for three days now. I stood up and headed towards the tree line just ahead of us. There was bound to be berry bushes or at least a birds nest in there somewhere.

"So, what are you looking for?" Eep asked, trotting up beside me. Oh yeah, that's right, Eep hasn't been allowed to hunt before since she's a girl.

"Anything that even remotely resembles food." I said as I felt my stomach growl painfully, Belt cooed in response and wrapped his long arms around my neck for a better grip.

"Oh." Eep said as she looked around, her eyes huge with wonder. I spotted a birds nest high up on a branch. Belt jumped up on my shoulder as he saw it too. I ran up to the tree trunk and climbed up, pulling myself onto the branch with the nest. I carefully inched my way towards it, not wanting to snap the branch. I peered into the nest to see 6 bird eggs, I took them all. I looked at them in my hand, they weren't much bigger than my eye, but it would have to do for now. I was so hungry I debated eating them raw right then, but my mother's voice entered my head to warn me. One of my sisters had tried to eat a raw egg, she got very sick and eventually died. I couldn't eat eggs raw like Eep's family could, I just didn't have the stomach for it. I climbed down and handed Eep three eggs, I kept the other three. She instantly swallowed them whole. I frowned and sat down, clearing a small circle in the ground for a fire pit. I lay some wood down and set a spark to them with some rocks. I lay a large flat rock on top and cracked the three eggs on top of it. I'd have to cook them before I ate them. Eep just watched in awe.

"Why don't you just eat them?" She asked, puzzled. I looked up at her and smirked.

"I'd get sick, I don't have the strong stomach acid you have" I said and she nodded, looking back down at the eggs. They were nearly cooked through; and the smell was driving me crazy. I was worried though that the rain would put out the fire. The rocks protected it but some water was dripping down into the flames. Belt was draped over my shoulders watching the eggs cook slowly, but then jumped down my back in surprise. I looked up to see Grug charging towards us, an angry look plastered all over his face.

"No one leaves the cave during the rain!" He yelled. He looked down at the fire pit and I panicked, grabbing the eggs just as he threw a rock into the pit and scattered it everywhere. The rock bounced over to me, knocking two of the eggs away and crushed into the dirt by Grug. I quickly swallowed the remaining egg, Grug yelling at me.

"Dad, we just wanted to hunt!" Eep yelled but he ignored her, walking up to me.

"You've caused too many problems for this family, especially for Eep. You've put all these stupid ideas in her head that will get her killed, or will get others killed!" Grug yelled into my face. "I want you gone!"

"If I leave, you will all die." I said, glaring at him. "You need fire and at least someone who knows this area!"

"We've gotten along without you in the past." Grug growled, grabbing Eeps arm. He turned and dragged her back to the cave, shoving her inside and sitting down in front of the entrance. I glared at him, and then looked down at my destroyed fire pit. I could hear Eep yelling and pounding on the rock but there wasn't any way she could get out now with Grug in front of it. Belt cooed sadly in my ear and I looked over at him. He sighed and leaned his head onto my shoulder. I sighed as well, turning to head into the forest. I stopped and looked back at Grug, who was now asleep as he leaned against the rock. I shook my head and headed into the forest.

…

"What was I thinking?" I yelled, kicking a rock out of my path. Belt hung around my shoulders and gurgled. "So what if I was hungry? If I had known this would happen I would have toughened it out." My stomach growled as if in protest and I put my hands over it, stopping in the path. "I'm still hungry." I looked around me at the large trees and boulders scattered in every direction. I sighed, walking down the worn path again. Deer used this path to get down to the river. I was hoping that I could find some fish.

I sighed heavily as I lay on my back in the tall grass, staring up at the gray sky. The river system was totally flooded from the rains; the fish had been swept out miles from here. Belt lay on my stomach, his chin resting on my ribs as he watched me. Images of steak and fish and my mom's delicious corn sauce on eggs flickered through my mind. Sharp hunger pangs felt as if they were vibrating my entire abdomen. Belt would poke me in the ribs every once in a while, trying to make me get up. I folded my hands over my stomach, Belt resting his chin on them and gurgled at me.

"I will, Belt. Just give me a minute." I said. The rain wasn't letting up, it was only getting harder. I sighed and sat up, putting Belt around my waist. I looked down and was surprised that I could now see my ribs clearer than I normally could. I shook my head and started walking down the path again. I'd have to use my old tricks again of foraging for berries, setting a few traps, and hoping that I got lucky.


	2. Chapter 2

2

"**Dad! **He could have helped us hunt, even in the rain!" Eep yelled as her father walked into the cave. The rain had soaked him so now he was sitting in front of the entrance from the inside of the cave.

"Guy is crazy, the rain is letting up anyway." Grug muttered, lying down next to the boulder door.

"But, but, he was going to show me how to hunt!" Eep protested, pacing around the cave. "And he said he was hungry, he was going to get food!"

"Everyone's hungry, Eep, that's why we sleep until it's time to come out." Grug said, closing his eyes. Eep groaned and sat down on her ledge.

…

"**Oh, **thank god!" I sighed as I watched the baby mammoth in front of me step right into my trap. Belt crawled up onto my shoulder, wrapping a long arm around my neck. My stomach gnawed at my ribs as I anticipated cooking it over the fire. The mammoth was slingshot into the air and landed with a huge thud. But to my dismay, it was still moving. It was obvious that its front legs were broken but it still fought to stand. I looked around for its mother, not wanting to get trampled to death, and then I ran out to it. I took out my knife and slit the back of its neck, slicing its spinal cord. I picked up the rope that was still tied around its leg from my trap and started to haul it back over to the small cave I had found. I didn't live in caves like Eep's family, I just found them extremely convenient to use at night as a shelter.

"Belt, look at this!" I said excitedly. Belt cooed in response, jumping to the ground next to it. The baby mammoth was twice my size; I would have more than enough for tonight. My fire pit was already set up from earlier today, all I needed to do was cut a chunk off and start cooking.

Skinning the mammoth was easy; it all came off in a heap. I'd use it later to make a fur coat, as winter was fast approaching. I sliced the large back muscle off and stuck it onto a stick, a makeshift spit. I put it over the fire and then watched, counting ever second. Belt curled up in my lap, enjoying the warmth of the fire. I was about to faint from hunger, the smell of the meat making my mouth water. I had spent all day today trying to catch something in my trap, and up until now, nothing had worked. I had been crouched behind the bushes, waiting for the right moment in agony.

Belt gurgled, poking my in the stomach. I looked down at him and smiled. At least I had some company. I patted his back and he yawned, curling up against my side. The sun was setting and the rain had finally stopped. I wondered what Eep's family was doing right now, what she was doing. They didn't go out at night, neither would I most of the time. I only ever did when I needed extra food. I looked over at my spit, the meat still cooking. It wasn't even half way done yet and I groaned, lying down onto my back. The stars were starting to come out, flickering every so often. The fires light danced on the ceiling of the cave and lit up the walls. I gazed up at the many paintings and handprints of the many cavemen that lived here. I knew I wasn't like them, and not very many people were like me. When my family was still alive, we knew many neighbors. But as time passed, and food became harder to find, they all eventually moved on. We were the only ones left in the area, up until they all discovered the tar pits we had been living next to all those years.

The smell of the meat brought me back out of my trance and I sat up, looking over at it. It was so hard to wait for this thing to cook through all the way, I was jealous of Eep's ability to just eat whatever she wanted. My stomach growled painfully and I looked down to see Belt glaring at me, bags forming under his eyes. In reality it had only been maybe ten minutes, but to me it felt like ten long, agonizing years. I carefully picked up the spit, the meat finally ready. It was as big as I was, I could easily eat two. I instantly started eating.

Half an hour later, I was laying on my back gazing up at the ceiling of the cave. It was all blurry though, as I was exhausted. I had forgotten what it felt like to actually be full for once; I normally can never get enough to really satisfy my constant appetite. Belt was lying on my stomach, his chin resting on my chest as usual. He seemed relieved to get a full night's sleep, as I was. I folded my hands over him and closed my eyes, letting myself slip away.

…

**Eep **ran across the sandy ground, arms spread wide as she took in the sunlight. No more rain, no more caves, no more dad! They were going out hunting finally, she knew Guy would be jealous. She was worried about him though, no one had seen him since Grug pushed him out.


	3. Chapter 3

3

**Belt **and I didn't wake up again until late in the afternoon, nearly 14 hours. I opened my eyes and looked up at the handprints and cavemen stories written all over the ceiling and walls of the cave I had slept in. It reminded me of when Grug told his family stories and would draw them out on the walls. I missed those little moments, the moments where I felt like I had a family again. But here I was, alone. I looked over at my fire, which was smoldering nicely. It had kept the cave nice and warm all night long, I had slept well. Belt yawned and sat up on my stomach, his long arms nearly twice his actually body size as he stretched. I looked at him and smirked as he nearly toppled over. He jumped down and sat by the sire, warming his hands. I rolled over onto my side and looked out the entrance to the cave. The sun was out finally. I stood up and yawned, cracking my knuckles and brushing off the dust from my arms.

"Come on Belt, we might as well finish off the rest of the mammoth. It's too big to take with us." I said and he gurgled, scampering over to it. I had left the skin out to dry by the fire, it would work well as a coat or blanket. I took out my knife and cut the last bits of meat off the baby mammoth, wrapping them around a stick. I sat down by the fire and let them roast.

…

**I **could see him! I had found Guy! I had ventured away from my insane family to try and find Guy, and now here he was. He was asleep on his back in the cave in front of me; I was hidden behind the bushes. Belt was sprawled out across his stomach and chest, his mouth wide open as he snored. A small fire smoldered next to them and lit up the cave well. I was surprised that he was still asleep at this time, the day was almost over. Just then he shifted, opening his eyes finally. The small movement made Belt wake up, who stretched and nearly fell over. Guy smiled and rolled over to face the fire. He looked much better today than he did yesterday, to my relief. I was worried that dad's outburst may have messed things up for him. I quickly scurried away, not wanting to get caught by my father.

…

I walked out of the cave, breathing in the fresh air as deeply as I could. I needed to get moving. I doubted Grug would change his mind about me staying away, I might as well not stick around to wait and find out. I needed to get to a warmer place; I wouldn't be able to survive here in the winter, especially with the massive amounts of snow that came every year. I carried the folded up mammoth skin under my arm as we set off. I had made this trip many times before; I knew the road like the back of my hand. I was worried though that I had started my trip too late, staying with the Croods and all. I could already see the giant snow clouds coming in from above the mountains, they'd be here by nightfall.

…

"**Dad, **the powder clouds are here." Thunk said, trotting behind Grug. He looked up at the sky and sighed, knowing that they'd need a better shelter for the night. It would be getting very cold tonight.

"Come on guys, finish up eating and let's head back to the cave." Grug called out. Eep groaned and finished up her scorpion. Looking up at the sky, she suddenly hatched a plan. With the cold powder coming in tonight, there would be chaos in the cave. What if she ventured away and caught up with Guy? Her dad would never find out until she was long gone! She very casually walked behind a tree and when no one was looking, bolted into the forest.

Eep got to the cave where Guy was sleeping in about half an hour, but to her dismay it was empty. Only the remains of a fire pit were left in the cold and hollow cave. She walked out and quickly spotted the footprints of what looked like a bear; Guys large boots.

…

**I **had fashioned a good hook using the baby mammoths rib bone. I lay on my stomach, draping a makeshift fishing pole into the pool below me. Belt lay across my shoulder, watching with wide eyes. With the snow coming in, I'd need to stock up on any food that I could find. I'd save as much as I could. I had found a large cave that would be suitable to stay in during the winter. It was high up on the side of a mountain, pools of water just 5 minutes away, and the dense forest behind it. My stomach gurgled with hunger, but I wouldn't be eating this fish. I'd dry it and keep it in the cave for when I really needed it.

"Got one!" I cheered excitedly, pulling the hook out of the water and a fish along with it. It flopped onto the grass behind me and I jumped up. I took out my knife, slicing the back of its head. I then turned back to the water and started again. I'd get as many fish as I could and then check on my traps in the forest.

Belt cooed, looking up at the sky. It was now totally gray with the snow clouds, I'd have to speed up my pace. I grabbed the 10 fish I had caught and ran up to the cave. I had strung them on a thick piece of leather from the mammoth so they could dry properly. I tied it to a root jutting out from the ceiling of the cave and then ran out again towards the forest. Two of my traps had sprung; one had a large deer, the other was a baby bear. Not the ideal results I was hoping for but it was still food. I reset the traps and hauled the kills back to the cave. I'd have a lot of work to do tonight with these bodies. I pushed a rock in front of the entrance way so no animals would eat my hard earned prizes and then set off to collect berries and other plant life.

"Belt, look at this." I said, searching the bushes. Everything had been picked clean, not a single berry was left. The bears had been eating them, getting the same hints of winter as I was. This did concern me; it meant that there was less food out here to work with. I'd have to be careful with the meat I already had, or it would be a very rough few months. I jumped as I heard a loud roar from the forest and another loud thud. I instantly bolted towards the forest, hoping that my third trap had caught something. I quietly stood behind a tree, peering out to see what the noise had been. A boar had gotten stuck in my trap. I walked up to it, making sure it was dead. Belt jumped down and sat on its head, a grin on his small face. I chuckled and picked him up, putting him around my waist. I slung the boar over my shoulder, it weighing not much more than 30 pounds. I looked up at the sky, the wind starting to pick up, and the temperature starting to plummet.

"There, I think this is good for tonight." I said and Belt gurgled in agreement. We'd get more tomorrow, but for now, I'd call in for the night. A gust of wind blew into the cave, sending a chill down my spine. I turned around and hauled the large boulder in front of the entrance, hoping that it didn't get too cold tonight. I sat down by the fire pit I had made earlier today. I lightly blew on the coals, bringing them back to life. I set several logs onto it and the small flames grew stronger. I'd have to collect more wood tomorrow, otherwise my fire would die. I sighed and lifted Belt off of my shoulders. He had helped keep me warm last night too, kind of like a small blanket. He huddled up close to the fire and yawned as I sharpened my knife on a rock. I turned to the large deer and got to work on skinning it. I had many plans for the skins of these animals. The deer hide I'd turn into a jacket, the Boar would make a good inner layer, and the small baby bear I'd use as gloves.

Belt grabbed a moth from off of the cave wall and scarfed it down quickly before it flew away. I was kind of jealous at his ease in finding food. I needed a lot more just to survive. The deer skin was nearly ready; I just needed to scrape off the bits of fat. I had learned over the years that the fat from animals made a good snack, an energy boost, but it didn't stay with you long. I had been downing these little bits, staving off hunger as long as I could.

"Ta-da!" I said, putting on the jacket. I had sewn the edges together with bits of leather and a bone needle from the baby mammoth earlier. I made it fit as close to my ribs as possible with the fur turned inside, keeping extra warmth inside. I even made it have a hood. Belt gave me a thumbs up and then turned back to the fire. I sat back down and turned to the mammoth skin. I'd need to turn it into a blanket, something to keep me warm at night. I looked down at my new jacket and back at the skin, an idea forming in my mind. A sleeping bag! I picked up the skin and turned the fur inside, quickly sewing all the edges together except for an opening at the top. I held it up to inspect it. This way I could just crawl inside!

"Belt, look!" I said excitedly and his eyes grew wide. He climbed up my leg and jumped inside the bag. I chuckled and set it down, letting him hang out inside it. I sat down by the fire and yawned. I looked over at one of the fish hanging on its line with other fish. It was tempting to just eat one, quell my hunger for another night, but I needed to keep them as long as possible. When I was starving during the winter, I'd want to be able to have a ready meal. I sighed and scooted over to the sleeping bag. I lifted Belt out and then crawled in myself, tucking Belt in next to me. I sighed deeply, folding my hands over my stomach. I liked my new jacket, I'd test it in the morning. I closed my eyes and slowly fell asleep, dreaming of sunshine and berries.


	4. Chapter 4

4

**Eep **wandered through the dense forest, tracking Guy's movements as well as she could. But Guy had a habit of staying very quiet, staying out of sight, and moving quickly. She would lose him, but then find his trail again, only to lose it once more. She spotted a strange looking contraption, something that didn't blend in with other things she had seen. She could see the large rock weighing down a tree branch, the loop hole on the ground that was slightly covered with debris. It was one of Guy's traps. She knew he was very close by now. Guy didn't stray far from his traps; he was probably not more than a mile away, close enough to be able to hear if his traps went off. Eep moved on, following the trail. The sun was setting, the cold closing in, but a flickering light caught her attention. It was high up on the side of a mountain, behind a large boulder. I ran up to it, trying to see through the cracks of the boulder that was wedged in tightly. I scratched some of the dirt out of the way, hoping to see better.

…

**I **jumped awake as I heard scratching and movement just outside the boulder. I sat up, pulling out my knife. Belt huddled behind me, only peeking out slightly. I slowly stood up, reaching down and picking up a small log, fire blazing at the end.

"Hello?" A voice called out, making me jump. I slipped on the fine dust coating the floor, falling hard. It was Eep, but she was back in the cave with her family!

"Eep?" I called out, standing up. Belt poked his head up, a smile across his face.

"Guy!" She answered, pushing hard against the boulder. It shifted, but I had arranged it in a way that it could only move from the inside.

"Eep, stop! Only I can move it." I said, pushing hard against the massive rock. It leaned to the side far enough for Eep to slip through. She instantly grabbed me in a bear hug, squeezing the breath out of me. As soon as she let me go I gasped in a huge breath, coughing in the process.

"Sorry." She smiled and then looked around. "I thought you hated caves?"

"I do, but I can't stay out in the snow the entire time." I said, sitting down by the fire. The inside of the cave was considerably warmer than outside. "Plus I need a place to keep my food."

"Oh. It's snowing now, you know?" She said and I nodded, dreading what morning would bring. I was very tired though, I desperately wanted to get back to sleep. I lay down on my side, facing the fire, and closed my eyes. Belt curled up against me, purring as he fell asleep. I put my hand over him. I heard Eep lay down on the other side of the fire.

"Goodnight, Guy." Eep yawned and I opened my eyes in surprise. It had been a long time since I had heard that. I smiled and closed my eyes again, sighing deeply.

"Goodnight, Eep."

…

My empty stomachs growls woke me up in the morning, also waking up Belt, who proceeded to shove against me as he settled into a better sleeping position. I looked over at my fire. It had died down to a smolder as usual, but I was still surprised to see Eep here. Her dad would be very worried about her.

"Maybe we should hunt?" Eep said, looking over at me. I sat up and stretched, yawning deeply. Belt was asleep on my lap and I picked him up in my arms, standing up.

"Not yet." I said, looking over at her.

"But isn't that hungry?" Eep said, sitting up.

"Yes, but I'll be fine. I have work to do anyway." I told her and pulled the Boar towards the fire. I took out my knife and started to skin it, Eep instantly scooting over to watch. I cut away a piece of fat and handed it to her. "Try this."

"Whoa." She said as she swallowed it. "What is it?"

"Fat." I swallowed a large chunk. "It's very good on an empty stomach." I cut away the skin to the boar and set it aside. I carved large slivers of meat and fat away from the bones and set those aside to. Eep looked at them, a look on her face that concerned me. I stood up just as she jumped towards them, knocking us both over. I hit my head on the hard floor, stars exploding in my eyes.

"Leave it alone!" I said, holding my head. "We have to save it."

"Save it?" Eep asked and then gasped lightly as she saw the blood on my hands. I had a cut on the back of my head, but nothing serious.

"Yeah, for the winter. We'll need it and lots more." I said sitting down next to the boar again. I pulled all the good pieces of meat and fat away from the body, also cutting the tendons. I could use them as string or rope. I turned to the skin, flipping it over so that the fur was on the inside. I put my hand on it, using the knife to cut widely around my fingers and wrist. I took my hand away and got out the bone needle and bits of leather. Eep just watched in awe the entire time.

"What are you making?" She asked and as I started sewing.

"Gloves."

"Gloves?" She asked, confused. I lifted my hand up, the new glove on and ready. I covered my hand and went all the way down to my elbow. Eep reached out and touched it, her eyes wide. "That's really cool."

"Mmhmm, and here's the other one." I raised my other hand.

"Why do you need gloves?" She asked as I put my knife away.

"Because the snow is really cold." I said and started to put the pieces of meat and fat on the roots sticking out of the ceiling. The dry air and heat from the fire would dry them. "I'll make you some too if you want."

"Yes!" She said, picking up the skin scraps. She tried to fit her hand on them but they were too small. I looked over at the bits of deer skin leftover from my jacket. I had decided to change it up and use the baby bear as the inner layer to my coat, but now with Eep being here, I debated on making her a coat with it. I'd be colder, but at least she'd be warmer. I looked over at her; her large frame would take up all of the skin. I looked down at myself, noting that my smaller size would save some of it and we could use it on another thing.

"Come on, I need to check the traps." I said and headed out of the cave. I slipped past easily; Eep had to push her way through. I ran down the side of the mountain and into the dense forest. To my disappointment, nothing had set the traps off last night. I sighed and headed towards the berry bushes I had found earlier, hoping that I had maybe missed some.

"Look at these!" Eep said excitedly, picking some black berries off of a bush. I grabbed it out of her hand.

"No! Those are poisonous. Be careful of the black ones, only the ones with a lot of seeds on them are good." I explained and she nodded. I tossed the berry away and moved on to the creek I was fishing at earlier. I sighed as I saw it with a layer of new ice over the top. Eep grinned happily and jogged down to it. Her toe touched it and she slipped instantly, falling onto her back and sliding across it. Belt and I laughed as she tried to stand but continued to fall. I had missed the moments with my family when we went skating. I had fallen in once though, that was terrifying.

"Guy, help me!" She called out, falling onto her face. I jogged down the side of the hill and slowly stepped onto the ice. I slid across to Eep, her face dumbfounded and jealous.

"How did you do that?" She said, trying to stand again.

"Here, I'll show you." I said, holding out my hand. She took it and I helped her stand. I led the way across the ice, starting out slowly and then beginning to speed up. Her face was bright with happiness as she let go and slid across the ice. But the happiness was shattered when I heard a loud growl. I looked up at the top of the hill to see a large dog like creature, its lower teeth jutting out the sides of its mouth, beady red eyes glared at us. I grabbed Eeps hand and pushed her off the ice. We ran up the side of the hill, the animal following. It slipped on the ice, giving us a head start. We dashed back to the cave as fast as we could. Eep made it first but I tripped over a rock, sprawling forward. I managed to catch myself, but the sudden movement knocked Belt off of me. He fell to the ground and started rolling down the hill in the snow.

"Belt!" I yelled, diving after him. The animal jumped on top of me.


	5. Chapter 5

5

**I **dived headfirst into the snow, grabbing Belt and holding him to my chest as I tried to get up. The giant animal had jumped on top of me, pushing me deep into the snow; I squeezed my eyes shut as I waited for the inevitable. But it never came; instead a loud yowl rang out. I looked up to see Eep holding onto its ear. I scrambled up and dashed towards the cave, Eep jumped down and ran after me. We shoved the boulder into place just in time as the animals face crashed into it. We both sat down panting and laughing. I looked down at Belt who had his arms wrapped tightly around my middle, his head pressed to my chest and his eyes tightly shut.

"Hey you, it's ok." I said and he looked up at me, breathing a sigh of relief. I smiled and stood up, walking over to the fire pit. It had died while we were out, I got to work on reviving it. Belt continued to hug my chest, not wanting to let go.

…

A few hours later we had a nice fire roaring and I had finally finished up Eep's new jacket. I had used the last of the animal skin, which worried me, but at least we'd be warmer. I was lying on my back, me arms behind my head. Belt lay on my stomach as usual, fast asleep and snoring. Eep was on her side facing towards me, her eyes gazing into the fire. My mind continued to wander back to the fish handing on the ceiling above me. My stomach had been gnawing at me all day, it was so tempting to just eat one tonight. Belt cooed as he lightly poked me in the ribs, bringing me back out of my trance. I looked down at him and smiled, patting his back. I sighed deeply and closed my eyes, letting sleep take over. I'd be sleeping a lot this winter, it was how I spent all my winters. I'd hide out in a cave, keep a store of food next to me, and just sleep. It reminded me of how bears hibernated, only I woke up far more often to eat. Last winter I got into a good pattern. I'd eat, sleep about 12 hours, then wake up to eat again.

…

**Grug **had been searching for Eep forever now, but he was hot on her trail. It ended at what looked like a small cave, a light flickering under the large boulder door. He growled, knowing that Guy was with her. That skinny kid had caused them nothing but trouble ever since they met him. Grug charged up to the boulder and thrust his shoulder into it, moving it about two inches.

"Eep! Get out here now!" He yelled angrily, continuing to try and push it out of the way.

"Dad?" Her voice called out, a tone of surprise in it. She groaned and moved the large boulder out of the way. He instantly ran inside, grabbing Eeps arm.

"What have I told you about leaving the cave? Especially at such a dangerous time! Its snowing outside!" He yelled, she rolled her eyes.

"Dad, I was safe here! See, we're in another cave!" She growled back and Grug looked over at Guy, glaring at him.

"You. I've had it with you, filling her head with ideas, ideas that could kill her!" He yelled and Guy took a step back, holding Belt behind him slightly. Grug yelled and ran up to him, punching him in the stomach before Guy could even react. Guy bent over in agony and Grug took that opportunity to bash his elbow into the back of Guys head. Guy dropped like a rock, unconscious. Eep screamed, thinking her dad had killed him, but Grug just pushed her out of the cave. He dragged her along, forcing her back to the cave.

…

As soon as Grug and Eep were gone, Belt ran over to Guys motionless body. He lay on his back out cold. Belt quickly climbed onto his chest and pressed his head against it, listening for a heartbeat. He sighed a breath of relief as he knew Guy was still alive. It was still dark outside and the wind howled wildly, blowing snow into the cave. Belt shivered, climbing up Guys jacket so that he was right next to his body. But even with Guy's warmth being right next to him, Belt was still shivering. He climbed out of Guys jacket and ran over to the sleeping bag he had made. He dragged it back to Guy, pulling it over him. Belt then ran up underneath his jacket again, hugging his long arms around Guy's middle. He hoped Guy would wake up soon, then he could put the boulder back and block out all this cold and snow. The fire sizzled out as the snow melted onto it, the whole cave growing dark. It was getting colder, and colder, the blankets and jacket wasn't enough and Belt could even feel Guy slowly losing his heat. He panicked as he heard Guy's heart skip a beat. He ran out and jumped on top of Guy's chest, pounding on it with his little fists. Guy slowly moved his head, groaning as he opened his eyes.

"Belt?" He said, looking around. He jumped up as he saw the boulder pushed aside to the cave entrance. Belt hugged onto his waist as he strained to push it back. The wind blew icy snow in but finally, Guy managed to push the boulder back into place. He ran over to the fire and lit a spark, trying desperately to get the logs to light up again. Belt could feel his entire body vibrating as he shivered. After a few moments, the fire finally came back to life, lighting up the cave again. Guy wrapped the sleeping bag around himself, tucking Belt up inside his jacket against his chest.

"What happened?" He muttered, his teeth chattering. Belt gurgled, trying to explain. "Where's Eep?" They were all alone again, in their cold cave.


	6. Chapter 6

6

"**Grug **must have taken Eep." I muttered, pulling my jacket tighter. The fire had begun to warm the cave up again; Belt had fallen asleep under my jacket, his long arms hugging my torso. I sighed as I slowly lay down by the fire, pulling the sleeping bag over myself. I used my arm as a pillow and closed my eyes, sighing deeply. I had a headache, maybe it would be gone by tomorrow.

…

I trudged through the snow towards the forest. I needed to check my traps again, hopefully I had caught something. I sighed as I saw the traps all standing empty. Maybe the animals I had caught earlier were the stragglers of the larger group that had passed through. If that was true, I was in for a rough winter. The rivers and lakes had all frozen up, I couldn't fish. There wasn't any use in wasting energy searching for food anymore. I just needed to hunker down in the cave and wait it out. I headed back to the cave and pushed the boulder back into place. Belt jumped down and sat next to the fire, cooing at me. I sat down next to him, gazing into the orange flames of the fire. It was easier living with the Croods, it was always easier to live in a group than alone. My mother had taught me that. There was safety in numbers, friends and family to be with, you were never alone.

I felt Belt's hand on my arm and I looked over at him, his eyes sad but also concerned. I picked him up and put him on my shoulder as I stood up. I reached up and took down one of the fish from the ceiling. I stuck the spit through it and set it over the fire. It would be a long few months…

…

**Eep **stood in the snow as she looked into the forest beyond her family's cave. She knew that Guy was somewhere out there. The jacket he had made her was warm and fit well at least, her father was quite jealous of it. The snow continued to fall above her, settling into her hair and around her feet. She heard her father's distant call to head back into the cave. She looked up at the sun as it dipped behind the large clouds. Her family would do the same as Guy was doing. They'd sleep through the winter, only getting up to find food.

…

…

…

**As **weeks dragged by, the winter was in full swing. Blizzards raged, the sky was always dark, and the temperature dropped into the negative digits. No animal life ever ventured out beyond their own caves and hiding places, it was just too cold. The Croods and Guy huddled inside their caves, barely active enough to keep themselves alive. Everyone slept, conserving the most amount of energy possible.

…

**Belt **scavenged the bugs and flying insects inside the cave, there was plenty of them to last him the winter in here. But while he was busy eating, Guy was always asleep curled up by the fire. He didn't move an inch for hours and when he did, it was just to get into a more comfortable position. It was like he had fallen into a hibernation like state. Belt continued to check on him, making sure that he ok. Their food supply was getting smaller and smaller with each passing week. The fish was gone, and now the baby bear meat was also gone. They only had the deer and boar meat leftover.

"Hey, Belt." Guy said, looking over at him. Belt ran over to him, cuddling under his arm. "You ok?" Belt cooed in response, happy that Guy was still ok. Guy leaned his head onto his arm again and closed his eyes, drifting back to sleep. Belt sighed, burying his head into the fur jacket. So long as he could hear Guy's heartbeat, he would be ok…


	7. Request for a Guest

**(Request from a Guest: Are you doing requests? If so, I have one.  
Could you maybe do one when Eep tries to cook and Guy is the only one willing to eat it? And then he gets sick from it and Eep has to take care of him?  
Like think about it, they have no idea what food poisoning is (going by what we saw in the movie, anyway)  
Would she think a gurgling stomach was the bad food inside Guy talking to her? Would she think it was the Common Cold and that Guy was dying? The possibilities are endless.  
Would you consider writing my request? God knows that you're talented enough to make into something awesome.)**

Guy and Eep were in a cave, alone, trapped inside by the blowing blizzard outside. They were with the family, but a tiger had attacked them and forced them to split up. They lay around the fire that Guy had built. Eep was just about asleep; Guy had already been out for an hour. He lay on his back with Belt sprawled across his stomach and chest as usual. The cave was silent, except for the occasional crackle from the fire. But there was a new sound suddenly, making Eep jump upright in surprise. It was a low growl, and it was coming from Guy. Eep scooted over to him quietly, not wanting to wake him up. She waited for a minute, wanting to be sure it was coming from him. It was coming from his stomach. She frowned and leaned down to listen better, her ear just barely brushing his skin. But a second growl wasn't from him, it was from Belt, who was now awake and glaring at her. She jumped away, Belt growling still. Guy stirred but didn't wake up fully as Belt stopped. He glared at her and then curled up on Guy's chest again.

"Hmmm…." What if she found something for Guy to eat? He said last time that noise happened was because he was hungry, that food would fix it. But now she had two problems: she had to find something edible, and then she had to find a way past Guy's miniature body guard, Belt. Eep looked around the cave for a few moments and then spotted a cluster of eggs. Her mind lit up, he had eaten these before! But he had cooked them last time… somehow. She had no idea how he did, but she ate eggs raw all the time. Why wouldn't he be able to?

Eep tiptoed over to Guy again, making sure not to wake up Belt. Guy had his mouth slightly open, which made it easier for her. She lifted up the egg, aimed, and then dropped it. I was small enough to fit through the small gap but then he bolted upright, coughing hysterically. The egg had already gone down his throat, forcing him to swallow it. He coughed and then looked up at Eep, Belt growling at her.

"What happened?" He asked. Eep smiled brightly, thinking she had just helped him. Belt suddenly jumped forward, snatching one of the eggs out of her hand. He ran back to Guy, handing it to him.

"What's with the eggs?" He asked and then suddenly remembered his choking fit. "Oh no, what did you do?"

"I gave you an egg." Eep said excitedly. "I stopped the weird growly noise." Guy groaned, laying back down on the hard floor.

"I really hope nothing bad happens now."

"Why would something bad happen?" Eep asked, worried now.

"Because that was a raw egg, I can't eat those without risking getting sick." He explained and Eep paused for a moment, looking down at the last egg in her hand. Belt "I can't afford to get sick now, I'm already too thin." He muttered, Belt cooing at him in response. Eep looked over at him; she could see his ribs easily.

"Well, what if you don't get sick?" She asked, trying to cheer him up.

"It would be amazing." Guy said, closing his eyes. "But only time will tell, get some sleep." Eep sighed, laying back down on the hard ground.

…

Several hours later, Eep woke up again. It was morning now, but Guy was gone. She looked around and saw the boulder to the cave entrance pushed aside. She followed the footprints a little ways and then found Guy, bent over, throwing up. Belt hung onto hit neck and cooing, as if trying to comfort his friend.

"I'm guessing you're sick?" She asked and Guy glared over at her.

"I told you earlier." He muttered, spitting into the snow. He straightened up and coughed. "Raw eggs are bad news."

"I'm sorry." Eep muttered and Guy walked past her towards the cave again.

"It's fine. Just let me feed myself next time, ok?" He asked and lay down next to the fire. He was much closer to it this morning than he was last night, and he was also shivering. I frowned and looked at him. This didn't make sense to me.

"What's wrong?" I asked and Belt looked down at Guy. Guy pulled the fur blanket over himself as Belt felt his forehead.

"Fever." Guy muttered, closing his eyes.

"Fever?"

"Yeah, when you get really hot for a while and then get better." Guy sighed. Belt cuddled up against him, even though it was hot with the fire and Guy next to him. Eep sighed and walked outside. She'd get him some water in case he needed it.

…

Eep spent the whole day taking care of Guy. From making sure he had water, to tending the fire so it remained hot, to just talking to him to try and help him feel better. He seemed to be in a lot of pain and his fever ran high. Sometimes he'd jump up and run outside to throw up, only nothing would come up. After he stopped he would groan and then come back inside, lay down and fall asleep again.

"Why won't anything come up now?" Eep asked, confused. The last time he had thrown up it was all over the place.

"Because there's nothing left to throw up." Guy said, sighing deeply. "It shouldn't last much longer though…"

"Ok." Eep said, laying down next to him. He seemed to be most comfortable on his back, she didn't blame him. She had muscle to cushion herself from the hard ground, but Guy was much thinner than she was. As she lay there, she continued to hear Guys stomach making all kinds of strange gurgling noises.

"Are you hungry?" She asked, about to stand up. She could get him something if he was.

"No, I don't want anything right now." Guy said, his eyes still closed. Belt cooed sadly and leaned his head on Guy's chest, watching him. Eep nodded and lay back down. Her head had a zillion different things in it. What if Guy died? It would be her fault! What if Guy was ok? Then everything would be ok!

…

As days went by, Eep saw a noticeable change in Guy. Before he got sick, he would talk about food all the time and how he was always so hungry. But now, he didn't want to have anything to do with food, even though he hadn't eaten in four days now. He seemed to be slowly getting better now though. He wasn't always asleep right next to the fire, which meant that his fever was gone. He now just complained about being sick to his stomach. Belt seemed to be extremely relieved that his sick friend was at least getting better. He never let go of Guy, always hanging around his neck or wrapping his long arms around his chest.

"You know, my younger brother died because of eating a raw egg?" Guy said, looking up at Eep with tired eyes. "He was only 4."

"I'm sorry." Eep said, looking into the fire.

"It's ok. I've been in way worse situations than this before." Guy sighed, Belt looking up at him with concerned eyes.

"What happened?" Eep asked, sitting down across from him.

"I was 14, I was running down a hill towards a river. It was just me and Belt, my parents had died years ago. I tripped on a root that was sticking out of the ground and I broke my leg. I was stranded at the bottom of a huge hill, a river on my other side, I was trapped. Night was coming, it would get very cold. So I dragged myself towards the closest cave I could remember; a mile away."

"Really?" Eep asked, leaning forward as she imagined it happening in her mind. Guy nodded, Belt leaning his head against his chest.

"It hurt a lot, and there was no one there to help me. It's amazing that a bear of tiger didn't pick me off. I made it to the cave in two hours and then I hunkered down there till my leg healed. I managed to eat the bats and small rodents that lived inside the cave, but it took at least a month before I was able to fully walk again. I lost about a third of my body weight." Guy said, leaning down against the ground again. Eep's eyes were wide.

"Wow, I could never be that brave." She said and Guy chuckled.

"You were brave enough to chase me down in the middle of the night, I'm sure you could do it." Guy said and closed his eyes again. "I think I'll be ok by tomorrow."

"Well that's good." Eep sighed a breath of relief. She leaned down next to the fire and watched as Guy fell asleep, Belt curled up next to him. Guy had been through a lot before she even knew him. He had been on his own for years and managed to survive, he even made a friend. She looked down at the sleeping sloth, Belt. They shared an inseparable bond, one that had been tested through many hardships. She wished she had a friend like that. Maybe Guy could be that friend for her one day…


	8. Chapter 7

7

**It **had been 6 weeks since Grug had come flying in and took Eep, there were another 4 or 5 weeks left of winter. Winter was half way over, but Belt and I had gotten to a critical point. The meat was nearly gone, only half a week's worth was left. I had been trying to make it last as long as possible, only eating a small amount every other day.

I lay on my back, the fire crackling lightly next to me. I sighed deeply, folding my hands over my stomach as I tried to sleep. My mind though was racing, images of mammoth, elk, and tiger flickering around on the backs of my eyelids. Tiger meat was especially good; it would almost melt in your mouth, especially with the fat melted over it. My stomach growled loudly, trying to get through to my mind that this was no time for sleeping. I opened my eyes and looked up at the ceiling, the fires light flickering around on the images of ancient stories painted out by cavemen. Belt cooed, laying his head on my shoulder, looking at me with sad eyes.

"Come on, we're gonna see what's out there." I sighed, sitting up. I picked him up and put him on my shoulders. He hooked his long arms around my neck and hung on my back. I pushed the boulder out of the way, pieces of ice falling away from the cracks. The sun was out finally, shining brightly against the white snow. I breathed in the crisp fresh air, relieved to be out of the cave finally. I headed out, first walking towards the frozen river. It was still cold out, I hugged my jacket tighter.

"Wow." Belt gurgled as we looked at the thick ice covering the river. I knelt down next to it, knocking on it with my knuckles. I spotted a small hole in the ice and an idea sparked into my mind. I could still fish if there was an opening in the ice, I'd just have to be more patient. I scooped up some water and drank it, sighing deeply. I looked around the riverbed and spotted a long stick. I grabbed it and pulled a long thread from my pocket. I had been saving it for an occasion like this. I tied it around the stick and let it hang. I just needed a hook of some kind and bait.

"Hopefully this works, it's my last worm." I sighed as I pulled out the fish hook I had made earlier. I tied it to the string, attaching the worm to it as well. I lay down on my stomach in the snow, dipping the hook and worm into the hole in the ice. The fish would be as hungry as I was so I knew they wouldn't pass this opportunity up.

A twig snapping made me freeze, fear creeping into my bones. Belt instantly ran up my jacket to hide, his small body vibrating lightly. I looked up at the forest, something was very wrong. I felt the line tug twice, then stop. My bait had been eaten by a fish but I dare not react to it, and reveal my position. I hated to be out in the open, I was very vulnerable. My eyes widened as a figure stepped out over the top of the hill above the riverbed. It wasn't a caveman, too tall and thin. He almost looked like me. My heart pounded against my ribs as he turned and looked directly at me. I looked at him, but he motioned with his hand and more people like him ran up behind him.

"There." He said and I gasped lightly as I understood what he said. I heard footsteps behind me and I instantly jumped up to run, but a man grabbed my arm. He knocked me to the ground and tied my wrists together with a leather cord. I was panicking, afraid for my life as the group dragged me away from the cave and river. They wore big fur coats, boots like I had, and necklaces around their necks and chests. A sharp pain erupted at the back of my head and I blacked out.

…

I awoke sometime later, but I was now in a cave. My arms were tied to a root above me on the ceiling, my legs held down by rocks. I had been handing there but now I could stand. The cave was illuminated by the fire in the middle. Three people sat around it, a large deer carcass was handing on the wall next to them. They were cooking pieces of meat over the fire. It was winter, how did they get a healthy deer like that?

"We'll head south towards the great lakes; there should be plenty of food there." One man said, biting into the leg of meat in his hand.

"What about the other clans?" Another said as he tended the fire. "Surely they will have the same idea."

"We'll just have to defend it then." The third man said. He was the eldest and clearly in charge. He was witling a small piece of bone from the deer's leg into a piece for his necklace.

"What about him?" The second man said and pointed his thumb back at me. My breath caught in my throat as all three heads turned to look at me. The eldest man stood up and walked over to me. He was about a foot taller and was much more muscular. His white hair went down to his shoulders, slightly covering up a scar across his left cheek.

"We need all the help we can get." He said and reached up. I closed my eyes, panicking, but he cut the lines that held my hands up. I looked at him and he smiled. "He won't get anywhere by himself either."

"What could he possibly help out with?" The first man said, standing up and walking up next to the old man.

"If he's smart enough to ice fish, he can certainly help us get to the great lakes." He cut the rocks tied to my legs off. I would have instantly run, but he had made several points. I wouldn't last long on my own; it was always safer in groups. Plus they had food and I was starving.

"Who are you people?" I asked cautiously and they all looked at me; it was the first time I had spoken. I sat down by the fire across from them.

"I'm Nal," Said the old man and then looked at the other two men. "And these are my sons; Zune and Mercer."

"Hi, I'm Guy." I said and they nodded. "I hope you guys don't mind pets."

"Pets?" Nal said and looked at me as I pulled Belt out from under my jacket. They all looked at him as I hung him around my shoulders. He hid behind me and peeked out.

"A sloth?" Zune asked and I nodded.

"His name is Belt." I said and they smiled.

"So long as he doesn't slow us down it'll be fine." Nal said and turned back to the fire. I sighed and leaned against the rock wall, looking around. I was nowhere near my old cave. The three men continued to eat. Belt nudged me and I looked up at him. He motioned towards the deer and I looked over at it. I was very hungry but something told me not to go and take anything, some sort of a pecking order was in place. Nal was at the top, Zune was second, Mercer was third, and I was at the bottom. Nal looked over at me and I glanced his way for a second before looking down at the fire.

"Hey, if you're hungry, just say so." He said and I looked up at him.

"I am." I said cautiously and he nodded, motioning towards the deer. I felt so out of place, like I was walking on eggshells.

"Don't worry." Nal said. "You'll get used to things soon enough." I cut a piece of meat off of the back of the animal and twisted it around a stick. I sat down on the opposite side of the fire and began to cook it.

"We'll leave at dawn." Nal said as Zune and Mercer lay down to sleep. The old man lay down next to them and sighed, leaving me alone. I looked up at Belt who cooed quietly. I felt like I needed to run but something held me back. I quickly ate the meat I had cooked and then carved another piece from the deer. Belt curled up on my lap and fell asleep. I'd eat and then wait for the others to wake up in the morning. I was too nervous to sleep right now.


	9. Chapter 8

8

**It **was nearly the end of winter, only two more weeks to go, according to Eeps dad's intuition at least. No one had heard from Guy and Eep was continuously worried that something had happened. What if her dad had hurt him when he punched him or knocked him out? What if a wild animal had attacked him? It was getting warm enough out so that the Croods could start hunting again. They had lived off the animals they had stored in their cave, just as Guy had done.

"Dad, I know an area that has fish! We should check it out!" Eep said excitedly, knowing that the river she was talking about was right outside the cave Guy was staying in. Grug shook his head.

"You can go out and fish, we'll be hunting deer and birds. Be back by nightfall!" He called out as Eep ran off into the woods. Grug had no idea that she was really trying to find Guy. As she ran through the trees she couldn't wait to see Guy.

"Guy!" She called out but she saw the cave's boulder pushed aside. She ran inside and found the fire pit cold and dead, nothing else was inside the cave. Guy had not been here for at least a week. She ran outside and tried to find a trail, but to her dismay, the melting snow covered everything. She pulled out her shell horn and blew a long low note, listening for any reply back. She frowned when nothing answered. Either he was too far away to hear, or something had happened to him.

…

**Last **night while the three men slept, I had collected enough meat to store in my pouch for later, just in case something happened. I watched as they one by one woke up and huddled around the fire. It had gotten very cold last night, below freezing. Belt curled around my waist and I pulled my jacket down over him to help keep him warm.

"Hey early bird." Nal said as he tended the fire. I gave a weak smile and watched him closely. "We're gonna head out now." I nodded and looked over at the deer, which was now nothing but a skeleton. They had picked it clean and I had gotten the last scraps. I had eaten last night but not very much; enough to keep the angry growls in my stomach at bay.

The three men walked out of the cave, I trailed behind, unsure of whether or not I should stay with them. I was highly suspicious of the reason they had taken me in the first place. They said that they needed to extra help, but in what? All we were doing was walking to "the great lakes", but then what? Fear continued to grow in my mind at the possibilities. I knew that cavemen and sometimes my own kind would be cannibalistic, that was my greatest fear. For now I'd stick around, but if things got out of hand I'd run. A long and low horn went off somewhere in the distant and I looked up in its direction. It was Eep! But then I panicked, I couldn't let these people see her or her family, god knows what would happen if they met.

"What was that?" Mercer asked, looking up at it too. They all stopped and looked around.

"Umm, probably nothing. Let's keep moving." I said nervously and Nal frowned. He turned though and continued walking.

We had been walking for hours; climbing over roots and boulders, jumping down the sides of jagged rocks, and trudging through the cold snow. I was at the back of the group, I could easily slip away if I needed to at least. I was getting very hungry though. We'd stop to take breaks but we hadn't found any animals along the way at all. They all had the same idea to move on in this bleak landscape. Right now we had stopped to take a breather. The three men were off to the side, talking amongst themselves, while I lay on my back looking up at the sky. I felt my stomach twist painfully, a low and deep growl following a few seconds later. Belt cooed anxiously, sitting up on my chest.

"We'll see what happens." I told him. He was worried about me, and what the three men would do if this continued.

"Come on, we're moving again." Nal called to me and I groaned, sitting up. Belt curled around my waist as I jogged to catch up with them. I hugged my jacket tighter as a cold breeze blew past us. But just as it did, a scent caught my attention. I froze, looking deep into the trees. The men saw my reaction and also stopped, their spears rising up as they got ready.

"It's big." I said and they looked at each other. Fear grew inside me, my instincts demanding I run. I looked up at the nearest tree to me, a giant pine that stood 100 feet tall. I ran and jumped, grabbing the lowest branch. I heaved myself up on it just as a tiger bolted out of the trees, grabbing Mercer by the leg.

"Run!" Nal yelled, stabbing the animal in the side. His spear was no match against the 1 ton animal. I threw Mercer to the side, who now lay unconscious. I panicked and climbed higher, out of reach of the large animal. I stopped at a thick branch, turning my back on the scene below me. I closed my eyes and pulled the hood of my jacket over my head, listening to the roars and screams. Belt crawled up from my waist, under my jacket, and up to my neck where he leaned his head and hugged my chest. I knew tigers couldn't climb; I was safe for now.

It felt like hours before all the sounds below me stopped all together. I looked down at Belt, who was asleep under my jacket. I gazed down at the ground below me. The tiger was gone, the forest was quiet. I slowly climbed down the tree, keeping watch for any danger. Eventually I jumped down onto the ground and looked around. I saw blood smeared against the rocks, a few adornments the men were wearing, and a spear with the tip broken off. All three men were gone though, not a trace of them anywhere. If I had tried to help I would have been eaten too. I was starving, and everything in this forest was too. I jumped up into the tree again, climbing back up to the thick branch. Night was falling and I didn't have enough time to find a proper shelter. I'd just have to try and make it through the night here. I was safe from predators but in this harsh weather, the cold may get me instead.


	10. Chapter 9

9

**I **had made it through the night. I leaned against the tree trunk curled in a tight ball, Belt under my jacket next to my skin. I had shivered all night long. It had snowed as well, so now I was brushing it off of my body. My breath came out in thick clouds of steam, my body shook as I desperately tried to get warm. Snow flurried continued to fall around me, blowing in the wind and settling against my jacket again. I stiffly climbed down the tree and onto the ground. I needed to get back to the cave where the three men had stayed; it was the closest safe place I knew of.

The wind had picked up and the snow fell harder. I trudged through the knee high powder, one hand over my chest as I held Belt snuggly against my body, my other hand shielding my eyes from the wind and snow. I was exhausted though, my body was quitting on me. I dropped to my knees and pulled out my shell horn. I blew a low note as long and hard as I could, then fell forward into the snow unconscious.

…

**Eep **heard a horn sound out long and hard suddenly. She was surprised to hear that it was quite close but it also sounded strained. She ran through the trees, the snow and wind blowing behind her. She had to find Guy, he wouldn't last long in this weather. He was too thin and small to withstand the temperatures, while Eep and her family were built for it. As she ran she spotted a body lying in the snow. She ran up to it and instantly recognized Guy. He was unconscious, cold, and limp. She scooped him up into her arms and ran for the nearest cave. She had explored these areas with her father, who had drilled the locations of emergency caves into her mind. She ran into one and closed the entrance off with a boulder. She had to start a fire, get Guy warmed up. She quickly grabbed the rocks from Guys pouch and hit them together, a spark flying through the air.

"Wood!" She cried, scooping up a bunch of dry leaves and sticks into a pile. She hit the rocks together, a spark flying and landing on the leaves, smoke rising up. She lightly blew on it and fire instantly flared up, lighting the whole cave. She ran over to Guy and lifted him up into her arms. He was barely breathing, his heartbeat faint. Belt was panicking, grunting and cooing as he tried to wake up Guy. I held his head in my lap next to the fire, the cave slowly warming up. Belt held onto Guy the entire time.

"Guy, please wake up." Eep whispered. As the minutes ticked by, she could feel his body warming up. She was worried still though. She knew Guy would be ok now that he was warm, but she now had to leave him or risk her father finding him with her. He'd kill him. Belt looked up at Eep with sad eyes and she sighed deeply.

"Tell him I said to be safe." she said and Belt nodded. Eep got up and moved out of the cave, pushing the boulder back into place. She ran through the blizzard, back to her family's cave.

…

**I **opened my eyes groggily, my vision blurred. I jumped up in shock as I scanned my surroundings. I was in a cave? With a fire? Belt jumped on top of me, chittering happily as he hugged my chest tightly.

"What happened?" I asked and he purred, looking up at me with bright blue eyes. I looked over at the fire. Eep had saved my life, but where was she now? I stood up and walked over to the entrance to the cave. Snow and wind blew relentlessly behind the large boulder, I was glad to no longer be out in that.

"Come on, hopefully it will be better tomorrow." I sighed, lying down by the fire again. I closed my eyes, feeling the warmth of the fire seep into my jacket and warm my entire body. I sighed deeply, slipping away as Belt lay across my stomach.


	11. Chapter 10

10

**I **frowned as I stood outside the cave. Snow covered the ground in blankets 7 inches thick, and it was still snowing. White flurries hung in the air and chilled everything they touched. Belt peeked his head out from under my jacket and cooed.

"Winter should be over in the next week or so, but there's still snow everywhere." I said and looked up at the gray sky. Thick clouds blocked out the sun, making everything that much colder. If spring really was on its way, blossoms would be appearing on trees, the deer would be coming back, and the snow starting to melt. I trudged out into the snow and bent down, digging past the snow to reveal the frozen earth. No grass was starting to grow either. I shook the snow from my gloves and continued to walk. I needed to get out of this area if winter wasn't yet over. I couldn't survive out here; I'd starve or freeze to death.

"Where would be a good place?" I muttered wandering through the frozen forest. I couldn't go back to Eep's family; her dad would surely attack me. I sighed and stopped under a tree, reaching up to grab a branch as I looked out ahead of me. Belt crawled out from under my jacket and climbed up my arm, hanging onto the branch. I smiled and stepped back to look at him.

"Be careful, god only knows when the last time you've hung onto a tree was." I laughed and he cooed, hanging from his arms. He grabbed a piece of bark and started to nibble on it. I sighed as I picked him up and tucked him under my jacket, his cold fur chilling me for a second. We were both starving, but at least he could find food. I started walking again, hoping that I'd find my way back to that river that was in front of the cave I had been staying in before those men came.

Winter was always hard for me to get through; especially a long one like this was turning out to be. Food was so hard to come by that I was starving all the time and the cold was inescapable. A voice yelling out in the distant snapped me out of my thoughts. I looked up and stopped behind a tree. Peering out, I instantly recognized Eep as she hunted with her family. They were chasing a large deer, wearing it down over time. I spotted Grug and frowned. The deer suddenly turned in my direction, leading the family towards me. I jumped into the tree, climbing up to a sturdy branch. I watched as Eep tackled the deer, smashing a rock into its head in the process. It went down and flailed on the ground before Eep finally killed it.

"Dad, here!" She called out and Grug ran up next to her. I watched as they cut it open right there and took what they wanted. They left a short time later, leaving the carcass. I waited until they were gone before I jumped down and ran over to it. I'd take the skin and anything I could carry. I cut away the skin and put it to the side. I carved away any pieces of meat I could get. A twig snapping made me freeze and look up. I glared as Grug slowly walked towards me. He growled angrily at me and moved closer. I had my knife up, my body positioned over the deer defensively.

"That's my kill!" Grug yelled angrily.

"You left it!" I yelled back. I would never hurt Eep or the rest of her family if they were here instead of Grug, but he had a personality to him that refused to understand certain things.

"That doesn't matter." Grug growled and moved closer. I raised my knife higher, barring my teeth as I glared angrily at him. I could never take him on in a fight, but I had learned that bluffing also worked very well, especially against cavemen like Grug.

"I need it more than you do, just back off." I growled at him and he barred his teeth.

"Ugga!" He called out. He was trying to get more people on his side so that I wouldn't have any choice but to back off.

…

**Eep **ran alongside her mom as they heard Grug yelling from the woods. He had gone back for the rest of the kill. They ran up to Grug's side and Eep gasped lightly as she saw Guy poised over the deer, his knife held up, and his eyes angrily glaring at her dad.

"What is going on?" Ugga asked, walking up next to Grug.

"He's trying to take our kill!" Grug yelled angrily.

"Honey, its Guy! There shouldn't be a problem here; he can just come back to the cave with us." She said and reached out towards Guy, him looking at her hand and then back up at Grug.

"No! He's been a hazard to this family ever since we met him!" Grug yelled, grabbing Ugga's arm. Eep ran towards Guy, happy to see that he was ok. His eyes locked onto her, hatred and anger glowing in them. She stopped dead in her tracks as she saw his knife but then saw his eyes soften a little as he recognized her.

"No Grug, we have enough food back at the cave, he needs to come with us. Look at him, he's starving!" Ugga yelled at Grug and he growled, eventually releasing her arm. She walked up to him, his eyes tracking her as he slowly lowered his knife. She smiled and reached out, placing a steady hand on his shoulder. His eyes instantly changed from their hating glare to exhausted and slightly clouded over. I walked over and picked up the remaining meat as Guy followed Ugga and Grug back to the cave.

Eep watched as her mom cooked the last bits of the deer over the fire. They had all eaten well tonight; the deer they had killed was over 200 pounds. She looked over at Guy as he slept by the wall of the cave. Belt was underneath his jacket with only his head poking out of the neck hole.

"What happened to him?" Eep asked and her mom sighed.

"He's been alone for months, Eep." She said and scooted up next to her.

"So? He was alone before he met us." Eep said as she watched him. He looked so worn out, and thin.

"That doesn't mean it's easy for him. He has to figure out how to keep warm through the night, find enough food to get him through the day, and he has to keep himself safe from any threats out there. He doesn't have a large family for safety, or the build to keep himself warm like we do." Her mom tried to explain.

"Why doesn't he just make more traps or hunt?"

"He probably does, but all of that requires a lot of energy. Teenage boys like him use almost three times the energy you or I use on an average day." Ugga said.

"Wow, no wonder he's thin." Eep whispered.

"Food is scarce out here Eep, that's some of the hardships of being on your own in winter; you can't rely on others to help you." Ugga sighed as she looked over at Guy. The fur jacket he was wearing looked like it was a size to big.

"He was trying to hurt dad." Eep frowned and glanced at the knife stuck into his waistband.

"Not intentionally, he was just starving. His survival instincts had kicked in when he saw Grug coming, he protected his opportunity by any means necessary." Ugga yawned and lay down by the fire.

"Do we have survival instincts?" Eep asked as she lay down.

"Everyone does. Now get some rest, everyone's tired." Ugga smiled. Eep sighed and looked over at Guy. He lay on his back, his hands folded over Belt as he snoozed on Guy's chest. She thought back to the look in his eyes when he glared at her earlier today. It wasn't hatred towards her, but fear and anger at the situation. She sighed deeply and closed her eyes. Hopefully chaos wouldn't break loose tomorrow morning…


	12. Chapter 11

11

**Belt **lay across Guy's stomach sideways, his long arms stretched out in front of him and touching the ground. He was slowly raised up and down with Guy's breathing as he looked around the small cave. All the Croods lay in their sleep pile around the fire; Guy was settled against the cave wall across from them. The fire's soft glow lit up the inside of the cave and danced on the walls where the cavemen's paintings all lined up. It was much warmer in here than outside, there was a harsh blizzard going on. Snow and wind fly by the cave's entrance, whistling lightly through the cracks. They had been stuck inside the cave for a couple of days now, nobody even moving since they got in here. The Croods and Guy had slept this entire time, as if they were in a hibernation state.

Belt sighed as he felt Guy's stomach rumbling underneath his body, Guy shifting in his sleep. He was hungry again. To Belt, Guy was always hungry, it seemed highly inefficient to him. They could almost never get enough to satisfy him in the warmer months, and in the winter it was worse.

Belt glanced up at Eep as she sat up, stretching her arms above her head. She looked over at him and smiled, quietly shuffling over. She reached out and stroked his fur, Belt purred and closed his eyes.

"How is he?" She whispered and Belt opened his eyes again. He cooed and crawled up to Guys chest, flopping there. Guy stirred and then reached up with his hand, placing it on Belt's back, rubbing his fur.

"What's up?" He said quietly, turning his head to look at Eep. She sighed and looked over at the entrance to the cave.

"It's still snowing." She said and he nodded, yawning.

"That's winter for you." He said and folded his hands over Belt, closing his eyes. "I'm hungry."

"You are?" Eep asked, surprised. None of her family had even stirred yet, she wasn't even hungry yet.

"Mmhmm." He mumbled and Eep looked around the cave. The deer meat was gone; they had eaten it all the day before yesterday. They had been sleeping for the past two days, nobody needed to eat yet.

"But you've been asleep this whole time." She said, looking back at him.

"So?" He opened his eyes and looked over at her. "Doesn't mean I don't get hungry."

"Weird." Eep said, laying down next to him as he closed his eyes again. "We'll go out and hunt again when the storm passes."

"I'll give it another two days. If it hasn't stopped by then, I'll just hunt anyway. Maybe set a few traps…" He muttered. "I could make eggs, roast some ribs over the fire…"

Eep just looked at him. He really was hungry, hungry enough to fantasize about food even. She sighed and closed her eyes. Maybe the storm would pass over tomorrow and they could start hunting again. But she was also worried. Storms like this often drove everything out of the area; there wasn't much chance they'd even find anything…


	13. Chapter 12

12

**I **stared up at the ceiling of the cave, my mind off in another world. What would the future be like? Belt slept on my stomach, totally stretched out and snoring. I put my hands behind my head and sighed deeply. Thank god I had this fur jacket, it had kept me warm through the whole winter; a fire wasn't enough in this weather. I closed my eyes, listening to the fire crackle. My mind picked another subject to dwell on; food. My stomach had been gnawing at my ribs for some time now, it was becoming unbearable. I opened my eyes and glanced over at the Croods sleeping in their typical pile. I could slip out and hunt without them even noticing since they were heavy sleepers.

"Hey." I whispered, waking up Belt. He groggily looked up at me, his chin resting on my ribs and his long arms draped over my sides. "Come on." I whispered and picked him up. I plopped him into my hood, where he poked his head out, hugging his arms around my neck. I carefully walked over to the entrance of the cave and pushed the boulder to the side just enough for me to slip out. I looked outside and blinked in surprise. All the snow had melted, the breeze was much warmer and the clouds had changed from snow to rain. Deep thunder rolled in the sky and lightning flashed now and then. I grinned, knowing that Spring was well on its way now. The months of endless hunger and cold were coming to an end. I headed out, jogging into the forest.

"Look, Belt! Deer have traveled along here." I pointed out the well worn path and Belt cooed excitedly. I quietly walked along the path, my eyes peeled for a good place to set my trap. I crouched down in a spot by the river. It was standing still, the perfect pool for fish to settle. I set my trap along the path and then jumped down beside the river. I always carried my bone hook and string with me just in case I ever needed to fish.

I lay down on my stomach and scooted towards the water's edge, dipping my hook into it with my bait. Now I just needed to wait for a bite. I focused on the water, spotting a fish checking out my hook. Imagining him roasting on my fire made my stomach growl loudly, I was starving. The fish bit the hook and I yanked it out of the water, flopping it onto the grass. I smashed its head and then dipped the hook back in, hoping to catch a second fish. The moon was just going down, the sun was rising. It cast warm rays of sunshine over everything but also lit up something very dangerous. A bear was lumbering down the path towards my trap. I froze, not wanting it to spot me. Maybe, just maybe, it would walk into my trap and I could have bear for dinner tonight.

My eyes lit up as the bear stepped into the trap, setting it off. A noose rung up around its neck as I had planned, but I was worried. I had made this trap for a medium sized animal, like a deer. This bear was three times that and would take much longer to die, it might even escape from the trap.

"Come on, come on, come on," I whispered. If this worked, we'd feast tonight. I slowly stood up. The bear was caught, but there was no way I could haul it back. I ran back to the cave to let the Croods know. If the bear didn't die in the trap, they'd kill it anyway.

"Grug! Eep!" I called out, shoving the boulder to the side. They all jumped up and stared at me. "I caught a bear, I need your help!" I yelled and ran back towards the river, everyone following me. But as I neared the trap, I could see now that the bear had escaped. It was very close by, and angry. A loud roar rang out and I spotted the bear, but it was too late. It pounced onto Grug, the broken noose still dangling around its neck. Grug held it up but the bear had bitten into his shoulder, blood was dripping into the dirt.

"Dad!" Eep cried out and jumped onto the bears back, wrapping her arm around its neck. It roared and reared up, smashing its front legs onto Grugs chest. I pulled out my knife and ran up behind it, stabbing it in the side. The knife would puncture the bears lung, slowing it down significantly. It roared and jumped off of Grug, swiping its giant paw right across my side. I jumped back but it still gouged four slices into my side. I ran to the side, dodging the bears second swipe. Thunk, Gran, Ugga and Sandy were all on top of the bear and Eep had a strangle hold around its neck. In the chaos, I jumped onto its back to but I plunged my knife deep into its neck, severing its spinal cord. It dropped dead immediately, everyone piled off.

"Dad!" Eep yelled and ran to her fathers side. He was unconscious in the dirt, blood pouring from his bite wound. She picked him up and started running back to the cave. Ugga dragged the bear behind her. I was still so amazed at how strong they all were.

We all sat in the cave, the bear skinned and its meat roasting over the fire. Grug lay unconscious still, Ugga tending to him. I sat in across from the fire, looking into its flames. I knew that Grug was very hurt, he wouldn't survive his injuries, I just didn't have the heart to tell his family. If it wasn't for me, this never would have happened.

"Guy, come eat." Ugga said, motioning for me to come over. I glanced up at her and gave her a faint smile.

"You're already too skinny, get over here." Eep said, waving a chunk of meat. I was so hungry, yet I felt like I didn't deserve the meat. Eep scooted over to me, handing me a large piece of bone, meat covering it. I sighed and started eating. It was so good, I nearly whimpered as I bit into it. I glanced over at Grug who was drifting in and out of unconsciousness, Ugga was helping him eat. I'd eat as much as I could tonight, pack some meat with me, and leave during the night. Grug was right, I cause to much pain for this family.


	14. Chapter 13

13

**I **left the cave during the night, gone without a sound. Grug was gravely injured; I doubted he'd live through the night. I didn't want to be there for their discovery of that. I took Belt and ran into the night, heading for the cave the three men stayed at before the tiger attacked. It was a good ten miles away, plenty of space between me and the odd family. I could never fit in with them; my best chance was on my own. I stopped walking as an idea formed in my head. I could stick close to the Croods and whatever kills they made I could scavenge off of. That way I could still have the cover of a group, but not necessarily be with them. I looked down at Belt as he clung to my waist.

"What do you think, buddy?" I asked him and his eyes looked up at me. He cooed and leaned his head against my side. I sighed and looked back at the dark outline of the cave. Where would my life be 5 years from now? If I even survived that long.

…

**Eep **collected berries from the bushes close to the cave, her mind wandering off to Guy and her father. He had made it through the night and now had woken up, she would use these berries as his breakfast. They had woken up to find Guy gone; he had left during the night and hadn't come back. He wasn't gone for good though; she had seen him in one of the trees nearby. They had talked for a little while, him explaining to her his plan. He wouldn't come back to the cave, but he'd hang around it. She thought it was a strange idea but she went along with it.

She looked up at the massive storm clouds forming overhead. Rain would be coming in soon; she'd need to get back to the cave. She hated being inside the dark and cramped space but she couldn't deny that it provided a great shelter. She headed back to the cave and sat down in the entrance, setting the berries on a rock. Thunder rumbled in the sky and the rain started to pour down. She looked out into the open, spotting Guy leaning against a tree. He wasn't wearing that giant jacket he had made for the winter, it was too warm out for that now. He watched her and raised a hand.

"Eep, could you mash these up please?" Her mother suddenly said and Eep glanced back at her and nodded, taking the berries. She looked back up towards where Guy was standing but he was gone. He never let anyone else see him but her. A sudden flash of lightning struck right next to the cave, making her jump.

"We should probably close that boulder." Ugga said, standing up. Eep groaned and moved out of the way. A bright light caught her eye though, she stood to see it better. But her mother moved the boulder into place before she could get a good look.

…

**The **lightning strike had lit up a patch of dry grass, creating a bush fire. The fire was quickly spreading now, the rain having no effect on it. I panicked and ran towards the river, the only place where fire couldn't get to. I looked over my shoulder, the fire already consuming the trees and grass behind me. I jumped into the river, ducking my head under just as the wall of flames reached its edge. A few seconds went by and I slowly surfaced, glancing around. Fire totally surrounded me, burning everything in its path. Smoke filled the air and I could barely breathe. Belt peeked his head out beside me, coughing at the thick air. So long as we remained in the river, we'd be safe. Eeeps family was inside their cave, fire couldn't get them either.

It felt like hours before we could finally leave the river. I shook the water from my body, the breeze chilling me to the bone. I shivered, ringing out my boots before slipping them back on. I looked around at the charred earth. Blackened trees staggered, burnt grass, and smoldering bushes were all that remained as far as I could see. Belt cooed worriedly, crawling up to the shoulders. I looked over at the Croods cave, them all standing outside it. Eep ran over to me instantly as she saw me, grabbing me in a giant hug and squeezing the breath out of me.

"You're ok!" She cried. She let me go finally and I sucked in a giant breath, her grinning.

"What happened?" Ugga asked, walking up behind her.

"Forest fire. It typically happens in the dry season but I guess the lightning hit the perfect spot." I said and looked around. "You guys can't stay here, everything's burned."

"We know. We're getting everyone ready to leave." Ugga said. I looked past her and at Grug, who limped up next to her. He was alive, I was amazed. These people were so much tougher than I could ever be.

"We should leave today." I said and they nodded. I had no way of knowing just how far the fire spread, but I would start heading in the opposite direction of where the wind was blowing.


	15. Chapter 14

14

**Grug **had clearly remembered that the bear attack was mostly my fault since I had led them all to it; I had hoped that he'd forget about it. But as a result, he had a thick vine tied around my ankle and the other end was attached to his waist. It reminded me a lot of the log ride I had when I first met them. We had decided to head for the mountains, I knew a clearing there that had a fresh water stream full of fish and large trees for shelter. In fact, it was where my family used to live. We had built a giant tree house in the canopy; it was safe from all predators. I had left the day my family died, never returning. I normally would never go back, but it was our best shot at survival.

We slowly walked across the charred earth, my boots black from the coal dust. The sun was high up in the sky, beating down on us. Eep walked beside me, talking away about stories and memories she had. I loved to listen to them but I often found my mind wandering off to other topics, like food and water.

"Dad, its too hot out, can we stop?" Thunk complained, dragging his feet. Grug ignored him and continued to walk, yanking the vine attached to his waist, in turn making me stumble forward.

"I hope you know where you're going." He glared at me and I nodded. I had always hoped of getting on Grugs good side, but I wasn't sure if that side existed. I looked around us at the scorched earth. What had happened? It was snowing and pouring rain just two weeks ago, and now a forest fire had wreaked havoc on the land.

"Where is this place?" Eep asked after a while. I looked up at her, her face already beginning to show signs of sunburn.

"High up in the mountains. My family built a little refuge in the trees, its safe from anything you can think of. I only hope its still there."

"That's amazing." She said, her eyes wide as she imagined it. I sighed and looked up ahead. I spotted a tree line, everything burned.

"There's a riverbed up ahead, we can get water from it." I said and Grug frowned. He smelled the air and grunted.

"There's no water there, its dry." He said and moved the family on.

"No, wait! I know how to get water." I said, stumbling as he pulled me away from the dry riverbed.

"Grug, just let him try. We need water." Ugga said, putting a hand on her shoulder. "We can rest in the shade anyway."

I dug away at the moist soil with a large stick. Eep leaned over me, watching in anticipation. I gouged the sand out of the way and the hole began to fill up with murky water.

"Water!" Eep yelled and I leaned down, taking a long drink. I sat up and let Belt drink as I swallowed. I stood up and let the odd family gather around. I leaned against a tree and watched them as they fought over the small pool in the ground. Belt cooed and hugged his long arms around my neck as he hung against my back. Eventually they all backed off, getting their fill of the water. I walked back up to it, taking out a little pouch from my pocket. I filled it up with the water and hung it across my chest.

"How did you know there would be water?" Thunk asked me, getting another drink.

"I learned it from my dad." I said and he nodded, smiling. "I could show you if you'd like."

"Yes!" He said, grinning and running back to Ugga. We all took a long break under the shade of the trees, drinking from the small pool in the riverbed. I leaned against a tree with my eyes closed, Belt lay across my lap. I faintly heard murmurs from the others. I opened my eyes and looked over at them as I heard them talking about hunting plans. Grug and Thunk were checking for bird tracks and I smirked, closing my eyes again.

"You might as well save your energy, there's nothing here." I said and forced myself up again. I walked over to them and sat down. "The forest is burned, all the animals ran for cover, most likely that way." I pointed towards a path of land that was only slightly burnt. The wind had pushed the flames away from it.

"Fine then. We'll rest here tonight and then Thunk and I will go out and hunt in the morning." Grug said and pulled the vine from his waist. He tied it around a tree trunk and then lay down next to it. I sighed and looked over at Ugga who shook her head. Eep lay down next to me and closed her eyes. I lay awake and gazed up at the charred remains of the trees, the sun passing over us. Hopefully Grug would let me help him hunt tomorrow, otherwise they'd scare everything away for good.


	16. Chapter 15

15

**I **woke up the next morning to the sound of Grug rustling about, waking everyone up. He was preparing to go hunt, a spear in his right hand, dragging Thunk up to his feet with his left.

"Show me your hunting face!" He called out, everyone grumpily standing up. Eep was excited and hardly able to stand still.

"Am I coming? I can help!" I said and Grug glared at me, definitely a 'no'.

"No, you're better off here. We'll be back either tonight or tomorrow, stay put." He growled and ran off, his family trailing behind him. I groaned and flopped back down onto my back in the grass. The logic of these people was so stupid at times, I could totally make traps or fish or something!

"These people are gonna be the death of me." I groaned, Belt crawling up to my chest and gurgling as he held up a piece of bark. I glared at him as he ate it in front of me. I was so hungry; the only thing I could think of was food. These vines attaching me to the tree were way too thick to cut through so I was confined to this small area for however long the Croods decided to take. I was out of luck on getting any scrap of food from them, they never have any leftovers. My stomach growled angrily and I folded my hands over it, trying to think up a plan on how to get food, but my thoughts continued to be interrupted by unbearable hunger.

"Ok, we need to get free of this." I sat up, looking down at the vine on my ankle. I looked around for a rock, stick, anything sharp to cut through it. Belt cooed and held up a rock with a point. I took it and started to hack away at the vine.

Nearly half an hour I gave up, flopping back down into the grass. Nothing had worked on the vine, the only way I could get free was if someone strong; like Grug, untied the impossible knots. I hated being this hungry all the time, it reminded me of the years I spent alone, of the weeks I spent trapped in that cave with a busted leg and nothing to eat but the insects of the cave. I closed my eyes, Belt laying across my chest.

…

**Eep **tracked down the large turkey like looking bird through the woods. If she could catch this thing, it would be enough to feed both her and Guy back at the tree. She knew that he must be starving and Grug was never going to allow him to eat with the family, she was his best bet.

"Rawr!" She yelled, tackling the giant bird. It tried to run but she had already snapped its neck against the rocky ground. She quickly picked it up and started running back to the tree. She roast it there and eat before her family even got done hunting.

…

**I **sat up as I heard running footsteps, panicking for a moment. I recognized Eep though as she sat down next to me, a giant bird on her back.

"Look what I got!" She said, plucking its feathers off. I nodded and continued to pluck the feathers off as she quickly set up a fire pit.

"Where are the others?" I asked cautiously.

"Out hunting still, they won't be back for a while. I brought this back for us though since I knew you'd be hungry." She said and quickly sparked the tinder. I nodded as my stomach growled again just at the thought of roasting this behemoth. She set the bird on a makeshift stand so it wouldn't burn, but its large size meant that it would take over an hour to cook through all the way. I lay on my stomach, gazing up at it as Eep sat on the other side of the fire.

…

**Eep **watched Guy as he lay on his stomach. He was watching the bird cook, his eyes totally fixed on it as if he was worried it would jump up and run away.

"You ok?" She asked and he didn't answer, like he was in a trance. "Guy?"

"What?" He blinked, looking over at her. "Oh, yeah, just thinking."

"About what?"

"What part I'm gonna eat first." He said, gazing at the bird again.

"Hungry?"

"Starving like you would not believe." He groaned, leaning his chin on his arms as he crossed them. Belt cooed and flopped his arms over Guy's shoulders.

"We'll need to eat all of it before my family comes back." Eep said and he nodded.

"Won't be a problem." He muttered. Eep sighed and pulled a leg off of the bird, chomping into it. She didn't need to wait for it to cook through.

…

**I **tore into that bird as fast as I could without choking, I was starving. Eep had already eaten which meant I could have the rest of the bird. Eep just watched me as I finished off the rest, her eyes almost looking sad. She had left a leg on the bird but that was about it. I was still hungry as I ate the last little bits. Eep took the scraps and tossed them away into the bushes so Grug wouldn't see them. I sighed and lay in the grass on my back, looking up at the moon as it slowly rose into the sky.

"Feel better?" Eep called out.

"A little." I answered, my stomach still feeling empty. It growled with hunger but nearly as bad as before. I had gotten enough to quell the angry bear inside me.

…

Hours later Grug and the rest of the family finally returned. They each held an egg the size of their heads, which they immediately began eating. I sat by the tree and watched them as they fought and wrestled over them, even though there was enough for everybody. I sighed and closed my eyes, knowing that that bird Eep had brought back was all that I'd get tonight. Maybe we'd have better luck tomorrow.


	17. Chapter 16

16

**We **continued our long march towards the tree top shelters my family had built years ago, I only hoped that they'd still be there. We were getting close now though; I was beginning to recognize land marks. Everyone was tired and grumpy and hungry from the long walk, especially Grug who had been yelling and arguing with everyone the entire time. The only one who I was now worried about was Granny. Her old age was getting to her in these tough conditions. I was able to handle it better because of my youth, but even I was thin and struggling.

"Are we there yet?" Eep groaned and I looked ahead. I could see the clearing through the brush ahead.

"Yeah." I sighed and jogged up into the clearing, looking around. My heart fell as I saw that the shelters looked like they had been raided several times, the wood splintering and the roofs barely hanging on. The rickety ladders we had made were falling apart; the whole place looked like ruins. Belt cooed, hugging his arms around my neck. The Croods walked up behind me and Grug whistled sarcastically.

"Some place you got here." He said and I glared at him.

"It's been over 12 years since I've been here; I'm amazed it's here at all still." I said and Ugga punched his shoulder. I walked over to a ladder and jumped up to grab the very end that hung down. I climbed up, careful not to damage it further. The inside looked just as beat up as the outside. The shelves mom had so carefully kept clean were broken and nearly turned to dust by insects, the beds were torn and tossed everywhere, and a giant hole in the roof where a tree branch fell through let sunlight through. I sighed and sat down by the shredded beds, the old straw crumbling from age. Eep climbed up with her family and looked around, their eyes wide.

"What is all this stuff?" She whispered and looked at moms broken bits of pottery I had helped her make, their remains scattered in the corner. It was saddening to this place like this, but then again no one had lived here in years. I lay down on my back in the bits of straw, folding my arms behind my head. Belt flopped over my chest and sighed. Eep lay down on her stomach and looked at me as I closed my eyes. Tomorrow we'd get food, for now I wasn't hungry.

…

Eep watched as Guy closed his eyes, his arms folded behind his head. He looked sad, as well as beat up. His thin frame had bruises and scars, all of his ribs showed from the long winter months, even Belt looked exhausted, a result from months of hardship. Tomorrow they'd find food and then she'd explore this place top to bottom.


End file.
